Device for cutting the trailing portions of thread at an end of a textile item, particularly for finishing hosiery items or the like

ABSTRACT

A device for cutting the trailing portions of thread at an end of a textile item, particularly for finishing hosiery items or the like, comprising an extraction device for extracting the trailing portions of thread from the body of the item and a cutting device acting on the extracted trailing portions of thread in order to cut them.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for cutting the trailing portions of thread at an end of a textile item, particularly for finishing hosiery items or the like.

[0002] It is known that textile items, particularly knitted items, have, at the end of their production, as a consequence of the techniques used for their manufacture, trailing portions of thread at their ends where knitting begins and/or ends.

[0003] In the case of hosiery items, at the end of their production on hosiery knitting machines, such items have trailing portions of thread at their top and possibly also at the toe, which are closed generally by sewing.

[0004] As regards any trailing portions of thread present at the toe, they are eliminated during the subsequent sewing operation, which not only closes the toe but also cuts the final portion of the toe, which is provided specifically to allow to load the hosiery item onto the sewing machine.

[0005] The trailing portions of thread present at the top, which besides being unsightly can also cause discomfort to the user, are instead removed by a finishing operation which consists in manually cutting the trailing portions of thread.

[0006] This finishing operation, indeed because it has to be performed manually, significantly affects the overall production costs of the items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above problem, by providing a device which can mechanically cut the trailing portions of thread at an end of a textile item, particularly for finishing hosiery items or the like.

[0008] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device which, by eliminating the need for manual finishing interventions on the items, allows to significantly reduce the production costs of such items.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to provide a device which can be associated with item finishing machines, for example sewing machines, so as to allow to cut the trailing portions of thread simultaneously with other finishing operations and therefore without increasing the time required by the item production cycle.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to provide a structurally simple device which is highly reliable and precise in operation and can be manufactured at low cost.

[0011] This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for cutting the trailing portions of thread at an end of a textile item, particularly for finishing hosiery items or the like, characterized in that it comprises means for extracting the trailing portions of thread from the body of the item and cutting means which act on the extracted trailing portions of thread in order to cut them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a partially sectional schematic front elevation view of the device according to the invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of FIG. 1 related to the cutting means;

[0015]FIG. 3 is an even more enlarged-scale view of a detail of FIG. 2, taken from a different angle with respect to FIG. 2;

[0016]FIG. 4 is an enlarged-scale sectional view of FIG. 2, taken along the line IV-IV.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] With reference to the figures, the device according to the invention, generally designated by reference numeral 1, comprises means 2 for extracting the trailing portions of thread 3 from the body of the item 4 and cutting means 5 which act on said trailing portions of thread 3 extracted from the body of the item 4 in order to cut them.

[0018] The means 2 for extracting the trailing portions of thread 3 comprise first suction means which can be arranged proximate to the end 4 a of the item that is provided with the trailing portions 3 to be removed and can be activated in order to convey, by suction, the trailing portions 3 outside the remaining part of the body of the item 4.

[0019] The cutting means 5 comprise second suction means which can be arranged proximate to the end 4 a of the item 4 provided with the trailing portions of thread 3 and can be actuated in order to draw the trailing portions 3 through the holes 6 of an abutment wall 7 and at least one blade 8 which can slide on the opposite face of the abutment wall 7 with respect to the face that is directed toward the item 4, in order to cut the trailing portions of thread 3 that pass through the holes 6.

[0020] Preferably, the device according to the invention comprises a first treatment station 9, in which the first suction means 2 are arranged, and a second treatment station 10, in which the cutting means 5 are arranged. The first treatment station 9 and the second treatment station 10 are preferably arranged sequentially along an advancement direction 11 of the item 4, which is preferably hung at its upper end, so that its lower end 4 a, which bears the trailing portions of thread 3, is directed downward.

[0021] The first suction means and the cutting means 5 can move vertically on command in order to act on said lower end 4 a of the item 4 provided with the trailing portions of thread 3 to be cut.

[0022] More particularly, the first suction means comprise a first suction intake 12 whose inlet is directed upward and is suitable to receive the end 4 a of the item 4. The suction intake 12 is connected to a first duct 13 being connected to conventional suction means which are not illustrated for the sake of simplicity and can be activated on command.

[0023] The first suction intake 12 is mounted on a slider 14 which is supported so that it can slide along two vertical guides 15 a and 15 b. First actuation means act on the slider 14 in order to produce its translation movement along the guides 15 a and 15 b in an upward direction, so as to move the first intake 12 so that it receives the end 4 a of the item 4, or in a downward direction, so as to disengage the first intake 12 from the item 4.

[0024] The first actuation means are preferably constituted by a motor 16 which is associated with the supporting structure 17 that also supports the guides 15 a and 15 b and is connected by virtue of its output shaft, for example by means of a belt-type connection 18, to a threaded shaft 19 which engages a female thread, not shown in the figures, which is formed in the body of the slider 14. The threaded shaft 19 is supported so that it can rotate about its own axis, which lies vertically, by the supporting structure 17 so that the rotation of said shaft about its own axis, as a consequence of the connection with the female thread formed in the slider 14, causes the translation movement of the slider 14 along the guides 15 a and 15 b.

[0025] The inlet of the first suction intake 12 gradually widens upward so as to facilitate reception of the end 4 a of the item 4 on the part of the suction intake 12 when said suction intake 12 is raised.

[0026] The cutting means 5 comprise a hollow body 20 in which there is a chamber 21 which is connected, proximate to its upper end, to a first passage 22 which is connected to a second suction intake 23, which is also open upward.

[0027] The chamber 21 is further connected to a second passage 24 being connected to a second duct 25, which is connected to conventional suction means, not shown for the sake of simplicity, which can be activated on command.

[0028] The hollow body 20 is slidingly supported by two further vertical guides 26 a and 26 b which are connected to a supporting structure 27, and there are second actuation means which act on the hollow body 20 in order to produce its translation movement along the guides 26 a and 26 b so as to move the second intake 23 so that it receives the end 4 a of the item 4.

[0029] Said second actuation means can be constituted, like the means for actuating the slider 14, by a motor 28, for example an electric motor, which is associated with the supporting structure 27 and is connected by means of its output shaft, for example by means of a belt-type connection 29, to a threaded shaft 30 which engages a female thread, not shown in the figures, which is formed in the hollow body 20.

[0030] The threaded shaft 30 is arranged so that its axis lies vertically and is supported, so that it can rotate about said axis, by the supporting structure 27 so that its rotation, as a consequence of the coupling with the female thread formed in the hollow body 20, causes the translation movement of the hollow body 20 along the guides 26 a and 26 b in an upward direction, so as to move the second suction intake 23 so that it receives the end 4 a of the item 4, or in a downward direction, so as to disengage the suction intake 23 from the end 4 a of the item.

[0031] Advantageously, the inlet of the second suction intake 23 also gradually widens upward so as to facilitate its reception of the end 4 a of the item 4.

[0032] The first passage 22 is arranged so that its axis is vertical and the abutment wall 7 is constituted by a disk-like body which is crossed by the holes 6 and is arranged on a substantially horizontal plane. The disk-like body that constitutes the abutment wall 7 is fixed, at the first passage 22, on the bottom of a cylindrical portion 31 which is located below the inlet of the second suction intake 23.

[0033] The cutting means comprise a cutting element accommodated inside the chamber 21, under the abutment wall 7, and provided with at least one blade 8 which is made to slide, as a consequence of the actuation of said cutting element, on the lower face of the abutment wall 7.

[0034] More particularly, the cutting element comprises a cutting head 33 which is supported so that it can rotate about an axis 34 which coincides with the axis of the disk-like body that constitutes the abutment wall 7. The cutting head 33 is connected to the output shaft 35 of a motor 46, preferably an electric motor, accommodated inside the chamber 3 and fixed to the hollow body 20.

[0035] The cutting head 33 supports one or more cutting blades 8 being fixed to one end of shafts 36 which are supported by said cutting head 33 so that they can slide along their axis, which is perpendicular to the abutment wall 7. Elastic means constituted by springs 37 act on the shafts 36 and are adapted to push the blades 8 against the lower face of the abutment wall 7.

[0036] The end of the blades 8 that makes contact with the lower face of the abutment wall 7 is conveniently shaped like an inclined plane in order to improve the cutting efficiency of said blades 8.

[0037] The cutting head 33 is preferably supported, so that it can rotate about the axis 34, by a shaft 38 which is fixed coaxially under the disk-like body that constitutes the abutment wall 7.

[0038] Conveniently, the device according to the invention also comprises means for sensing the position of the end 4 a of the item 4 in the second suction intake 23; said sensor means are operatively connected to the motor 28 so as to stop the upward movement of the hollow body 20 when the end 4 a of the item 4 rests on the upper face of the abutment wall 7.

[0039] Said sensing means comprise at least one photocell 40 which is connected to the cylindrical portion 31 of the second suction intake 23 above the abutment wall 7.

[0040] The device according to the invention is designed to be used preferably to cut trailing portions of thread 3 of hosiery items, as shown in the figures, while such hosiery items are supported by the sewing machine that closes their toe and therefore hang by their toe from the conveyor of the sewing machine, which moves the hosiery items along the direction 11 with their top directed downward.

[0041] Conveniently, at the first treatment station 9 and at the second treatment station 10 there are presence sensing means for sensing the presence of the item 4 at said treatment stations. Said sensing means can be constituted, for example, by photocells 50 and 51 which are fitted respectively on the supporting structures 17 and 27 and are operatively connected to the motors 16 and 28, respectively, in order to actuate the upward movement of the intakes 12 and 23 when an item 4 arrives at the treatment stations 9 and 10.

[0042] The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows.

[0043] Initially, the first suction intake 12 and the second suction intake 23 are in the lowered position.

[0044] When the item 4 arrives at the first treatment station 9, the photocell 50 causes the actuation of the motor 16, which produces the upward translation movement of the first suction intake 12 until said suction intake 12 lies around the end 4 a of the item 4. Due to the suction generated inside the intake 12, the trailing portions of thread 3 are extracted from the remaining part of the item 4.

[0045] The first suction intake 12 is then lowered in order to receive another item, while the item 4, with the trailing portions of thread 3 extracted downward, continues toward the second treatment station 10.

[0046] When the photocell 51 detects the presence of the item 4 in the second treatment station 10, the motor 28 is actuated, lifting the second suction intake 23 so as to move said intake 23 so that it receives the end 4 a of the item 4.

[0047] The upward movement of the second suction intake 23 is stopped, as a consequence of the sensing performed by the photocell 40, when the lower edge of said end 4 a rests on, or is very close to, the abutment wall 7.

[0048] Due to the suction that is present in the second suction intake 23, the trailing portions of thread 3 are drawn through the holes 6 of the abutment wall 7 and are cut by the action of the blades 8.

[0049] The cut trailing portions of thread are then aspirated and removed through the second duct 25.

[0050] At the end of the cutting operation, the second suction intake 23 is lowered again in order to receive the end 4 a of another item 4 arriving from the first treatment station 9.

[0051] In practice it has been observed that the device according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, since by mechanically removing the trailing portions of thread from the item it avoids the need to resort to manual finishing interventions and therefore allows to significantly reduce the overall production costs of the item.

[0052] Although the device according to the invention has been conceived in particular to perform the finishing of hosiery items, it can in any case be used to mechanically remove trailing portions of thread in other textile items.

[0053] The device thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0054] In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

[0055] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2000A000672 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for cutting trailing portions of thread at an end of a textile item body for finishing purposes, comprising: extraction means for extracting the trailing portions of thread from the body of the item; and cutting means for cutting the extracted trailing portions of thread.
 2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said extraction means comprises: first suction means, which are arrangeable proximate to the end of the item having the trailing portions of thread to be removed and are activatable in order to convey, by suction, said trailing portions outside the body of the item.
 3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said cutting means comprise: an abutment wall; second suction means, arrangeable proximate to the end of the item having the trailing portions of thread and activatable to draw said trailing portions of thread through holes of said abutment wall; and at least one blade, which is slideable on a first face of said abutment wall that lies opposite a second face thereof that is directed toward the item, in order to cut the trailing portions of thread that pass through said holes of said abutment wall.
 4. The device of claim 3 , further comprising: a first treatment station, in which said first suction means are arranged; and a second treatment station, in which said cutting means are arranged; said first treatment station and said second treatment station being arranged sequentially along a direction in which the item is advanced, hung at an upper end thereof; said first suction means and said cutting means being vertically controllably movable, in order to act on the lower end of the item provided with the trailing portions of thread to be cut.
 5. The device of claim 4 , wherein said first suction means comprise: a first suction intake having an inlet directed upward so as to receive said lower end of the item; a slider; vertical guides; a first duct through which suction is exerted at said first suction intake, the first suction intake being mounted on said slider which is slidingly supported along said vertical guides; and first actuation means for actuating said slider for translation movement thereof along said vertical guides in order to move said first suction intake so as to receive said lower end of the item.
 6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the inlet of said first suction intake is shaped so as to gradually widen upwards.
 7. The device of claim 6 , wherein said cutting means further comprise: a second suction intake which is open upward; a hollow body enclosing a chamber connected, proximate to an upper end thereof, to a first passage connected to said second suction intake and to a second passage; a second duct connected to said second passage through which suction is exerted which can be activated in a controllable manner, said abutment wall being arranged at said first passage; and a cutting element provided with at least one blade which can slide on the face of said abutment wall that is directed toward an inside region of said chamber, said chamber accommodating said cutter element.
 8. The device of claim 7 , comprising: further vertical guides, said hollow body being supported for sliding motion along said vertical guides; and second actuation means for actuating said hollow body for said sliding movement along said further vertical guides in order to move said second intake so as to receive said lower end of the item.
 9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the inlet of said second suction intake is shaped so as to gradually widen upwards.
 10. The device of claim 9 , wherein said first passage has a substantially vertical axis and is arranged proximate to the upper end of said chamber.
 11. The device of claim 7 , wherein said abutment wall is constituted by a perforated disk-like body which is arranged on a substantially horizontal plane and is fixed to said hollow body at said first passage.
 12. The device of claim 11 , comprising an actuation motor, said cutting element including a rotatable cutting head which is actuated by an output shaft of said actuation motor so as to rotate with respect to said disk-like body, about the axis of said disk-like body; said cutting head being provided with blades which make contact with a face of said disk-like body that is directed toward the inside of said chamber.
 13. The device of claim 12 , further comprising elastic means which act on said blades for actuating contact thereof with the face of said disk-like body that is directed toward the inside of said chamber.
 14. The device of claim 13 , wherein said actuation motor for actuating the cutting head is constituted by an electric motor which is accommodated in said chamber.
 15. The device of claim 8 , comprising sensing means for sensing a position of the lower end of the item in said second suction intake, said sensing means being operatively connected to said second actuation means in order to stop upward movement of said hollow body when the lower end of said item is arranged adjacent to the upper face of said abutment wall.
 16. The device of claim 15 , wherein said sensing means comprise at least one photocell which is connected to said second intake above said abutment wall.
 17. The device of claim 15 , further comprising presence sensing means for sensing arrival of the item at said treatment stations, said presence sensing means being operatively connected to said first actuation means and to said second actuation means. 